5G Standalone is the next big evolution in mobile network technology, and really it’s what we were promised with 5G.
Because this is true, standalone 5G, rather than relying in part on 4G infrastructure as all the UK’s 5G networks did at launch – and as many still do.
It’s a technology that EE, Three, Vodafone and O2 all promise to deliver, but right now only Vodafone and O2 actually are delivering it, and only in select locations.
So below, we’ll take a look at 5G Standalone on both Vodafone and O2, as well as detailing the devices that support 5G Standalone. But if you’re still not sure what 5G Standalone is, head to our what is a 5G Standalone network guide first.
Which UK networks have launched 5G Standalone?
Vodafone
Vodafone was the first UK network to launch 5G Standalone, but it doesn’t call its network upgrade that. Instead, Vodafone markets this as 5G Ultra.
It claims that with 5G Ultra, one million more UK customers will be able to connect to its 5G network, and that your phone’s battery will last up to 25% longer – or for up to three additional hours.
It also touts higher 5G speeds, which should be up to 10 times faster than 4G. It doesn’t give a specific figure but does claim that its 4G network offers average speeds of 23-35Mbps, so if we take the middle figure there (29Mbps) then 10 times that is 290Mbps.
Vodafone claims its standard (non-standalone) 5G offers average speeds of 150-200Mbps, so that would make its 5G Ultra network substantially speedier.
Finally, Vodafone claims that 5G Ultra will ensure you can make calls and use data even in busy places, such as station platforms, stadiums, and festivals, whereas previous network technologies could sometimes struggle with the congestion in those sorts of places.
These are all among the standard benefits of 5G Standalone regardless of what network you’re using it on, but they’re definitely beneficial.
If you want 5G Ultra on Vodafone you’ll currently need to be a Pay Monthly customer, as it’s not yet available on Pay As You Go. You’ll also need to have purchased or upgraded to a new Pay Monthly plan from the 24th of February 2023 onwards, and Vodafone will notify you by text when you’re given access to its 5G Ultra network.
This access will come at no extra cost, but currently 5G Ultra isn’t available across Vodafone’s whole 5G network. Rather, you can get it in parts of London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Cardiff, among other places. Check your post code in Vodafone’s coverage checker to see if there’s coverage near you. If there’s not currently, there likely will be eventually, because Vodafone is working to expand its 5G Ultra coverage.
You’ll also need a compatible phone – head to the devices section further down for details of these.
O2
O2 launched 5G Standalone after Vodafone but before Three or EE (both of which at the time of writing don’t yet offer 5G Standalone).
The network makes similar claims about its 5G Standalone service as Vodafone, saying that it offers higher bandwidth and lower latency connections, allowing for greater reliability, a massive increase in the number of connected devices, and wider 5G coverage.
O2 also highlights new use cases that 5G Standalone can unlock, such as remote healthcare, fully robotic factories, autonomous transport, network slicing, and advanced robotics.
5G Standalone is available to all O2 customers with a compatible device and SIM card at no extra cost, and the initial roll out has covered parts of Manchester, Liverpool, London, Lincoln, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, York, Belfast, Cardiff, Nottingham, and Slough. But the network promises to continue rolling out 5G Standalone to more towns and cities throughout the rest of 2024 and beyond.
Your phone will seamlessly switch between 5G Standalone, 5G Non-Standalone, and 4G coverage according to what’s available where you are.
What about Three and EE?
Neither Three nor EE offer 5G Standalone at the time of writing, but EE has suggested it will switch the service on before the end of 2024, so we might see 5G Standalone on EE soon.
Three meanwhile hasn’t said much of anything about 5G Standalone yet, so while we’re sure the network will be working on it, we’re not optimistic that it will launch before 2025.
Which devices support 5G Standalone?
Different networks support different devices with 5G Standalone. Vodafone for its part lets you access 5G Standalone when using any of the following phones:
The Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, S23 Ultra, Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, S22 Ultra, Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Oppo Find X5 Pro, and Oppo Find X3 Pro.
On O2, you can currently get 5G Standalone working with:
The Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, S23 Ultra, S23 FE, Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, S22 Ultra, Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy A34 5G, A54 5G, A25, Sony Xperia 1 V, Sony Xperia 5 V, and Netgear Nighthawk M6.
These are the most up to date lists we’re aware of at the time of writing, but in theory most recent 5G phones should work with 5G Standalone, they just might require a software update to do so – so hopefully O2 and Vodafone will start supporting it on a lot more phones soon.
